Indigo Records
Indigo Records logo
Founded1960 (1960)
FounderDon Wayne, Vic Gargano
Defunct1962 (1962)
StatusInactive
GenrePop
Country of originU.S.
LocationHollywood, California

Indigo Records was an American pop record label formed in 1960. Within two years the label issued nearly 50 singles and five LPs.[1]

Origin

Indigo Records was formed in Hollywood, California, in September 1960, by record promoters and producers Don Wayne and Vic Gargano. The year before, the two had entered the record business by partnering to form Inferno Records, which issued only a few releases. Gargano then formed Indigo as a pop label.[2] Artist promoter and manager Jim Lee was brought on as head of A&R.[1]

The Innocents

One of the label's earliest and most successful acts was The Innocents, a vocal trio from the Los Angeles neighborhood of Sun Valley. Starting out as The Echoes, they had been signed by Herb Alpert to Andex Records, where they recorded a couple of tracks.[3] After more rehearsals, the Innocents took their composition "Honest I Do" to Kim Fowley and Gary Paxton at American Studios, who recorded it and sold the master to Indigo.[4] A&R Director Jim Lee signed the group to a record deal and personal management.[5]

In October 1960, "Honest I Do" reached #1 on the record charts in Los Angeles,[4] and #28 nationally.[6] In January 1961, the group's follow-up single, "Gee Whiz," also reached the #28 position on the national charts.[7]

Kathy Young

Indigo A&R Director Jim Lee discovered Kathy Young while managing a personal appearance by the Innocents at the Pacific Ocean Park amusement pier in Santa Monica.[8] He handed her a song written in 1953 by Gene Pearson and recorded by his group, The Rivileers, titled A Thousand Stars. [9] During the recording session, the Innocents joined Young in what was described as completely impromptu and unplanned harmonizing.[10] "A Thousand Stars," released as performed by "Kathy Young with The Innocents," reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1960, behind Elvis Presley's "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" and Floyd Cramer's Last Date.[11]

Young's follow-up, "Happy Birthday Blues", peaked at No. 30 on the Hot 100 in 1961.[12] Subsequent singles, such as "Magic Is the Night" and "The Great Pretender", failed to chart in the Top 40.

Decline

Despite the successes of the Innocents and Kathy Young, and the release of singles and albums by other artists signed to the label, Indigo overextended itself financially,[8] and shut down in the fall of 1962.[2]

In 1963, Don Wayne took a temporary position as road manager for the Everly Brothers, on a two-week tour of Canada. He stayed with them nine years.[13]

Vic Gargano remained in the record business, forming several successor labels: Magenta, Lavender, Invicta, Condor, and Blue Fin. "In 1974 he trotted Indigo out for one final run, briefly managing and producing Chameleon, a two husband and wife quartet billed as the 'American Abba,'" and had retired by the early 1980s.[2] He died in August 2004.[14]

Seeing the handwriting on the wall, Jim Lee left in the fall of 1961.[15] He founded Monogram Records where, in addition to continuing to produce records for Kathy Young, he discovered and produced records for Chris Montez.[8]

Legacy

Indigo artists' contributions to the pop music scene have endured in the decades since their original release.

The Innocents' sessions were compiled by Ace Records in a 25-track CD titled "The Innocents: The Complete Indigo Recordings," released in 1992.

Kathy Young's recordings were compiled by Crystal Ball Records in a 24-track CD titled "A Thousand Stars," released in 2014.

Select singles

Artist Title(s) Catalog No. Year
The Innocents Honest I Do IND-105 1960
Kathy Young With The Innocents A Thousand Stars / Eddie My Darling IND-108 1960
The Innocents Gee Whiz IND-111 1960
The Crystals Dreams And Wishes / Mr. Brush ? IND-114 1961
Kathy Young With The Innocents Happy Birthday Blues IND-115 1961
The Innocents Kathy / In The Beginning IND-116 1961
Pat Zill Pick Me Up On Your Way Down / La Mirada ? IND-119 1961
Kathy Young With The Innocents Just As Though You Were Here IND-121 1961
Kathy Young With The Innocents Magic Is The Night IND-125 1961
Pat Zill Bouquet Of Roses / Hold Tight IND-126 1961
Jody Reynolds And The Storms Thunder / Tarantula ? IND-127 1961
The Innocents Donna IND-128 1961
The Innocents Pains In My Heart IND-132 1961
Flash Terry Cool It / Her Name Is Lou IND-135 1961
Kathy Young With The Innocents Great Pretender / Baby Oh Baby IND-137 1961
Frankie Erwin Detour IND-138 1961
Little Mojo Mojo Theme IND-139 1962
Daddy Dewdrop And The Sugar Plum Sassafrass Bubble Gum Band Here Come The Judge IND-4444 1968
Cleaveland Jones Loreen / In Spite of Myself IND-4445 1968

Source: https://www.discogs.com/label/126251-Indigo-Records-4

Select albums

Source: http://www.bsnpubs.com/la/indigo/indigo.html

References

  1. ^ a b "Both Sides Now Publications". Indigo Album Discography. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "Garganos Garage". Numerogroup.com. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
  3. ^ "Doo-Wop Groups, Biography & Discography: The Innocents aka The Echoes". Doo-wop.blogg.org. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  4. ^ a b "The Innocents". TheInnocentsMusic.com. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  5. ^ Selvin, Joel (2021). Hollywood Eden: Electric Guitars, Fast Cars, and the Myth of the California Paradise. House of Anansi Press. p. 166.
  6. ^ "Billboard Hot 100, October 1, 1960".
  7. ^ "Billboard Hot 100, January 21, 1961".
  8. ^ a b c Childs, Marti Smiley (2011). Where Have All the Pop Stars Gone? -- Volume 1. EditPros LLC. p. 166.
  9. ^ Stafford, Caroline (2019). Halfway to Paradise: The Life of Billy Fury. Omnibus Press Press. p. 166.
  10. ^ Musso, Anthony P. (2007). Setting the Record Straight: The music and careers of recording artists from the 1950s and early 1960s... in their own words. AuthorHouse. p. 356.
  11. ^ "Billboard Hot 100, December 17, 1960".
  12. ^ Billboard Singles, Allmusic.com
  13. ^ "Discogs.com - Don Wayne". Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  14. ^ "Legacy.com - Victor Trifone Gargano". Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  15. ^ "Jim Lee Exits A&R Post At Indigo". Cashbox. October 28, 1961.
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